Auto & General Car Insurance
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Zero stars⚠️ My Experience with Virgin Money Car Insurance / Auto & General – Stay Away I would strongly recommend that people think twice before taking out Virgin Money Car Insurance, particularly policies underwritten by Auto & General. My experience has been extremely disappointing. I paid a premium expecting comprehensive insurance and a… Read more
level of protection consistent with what the name “comprehensive” implies. However, when I needed the coverage, I found the policy and its exclusions to be very different from what I reasonably expected.
What concerns me most is the value for money. Customers are paying insurance premiums for protection, yet the level of coverage and the way claims and disputes are handled can leave you questioning what you are actually paying for.
Virgin Money confirms that Auto & General is the underwriter for these policies, so customers should carefully understand the relationship between Virgin Money, Auto & General and the actual insurer before purchasing.
I am now taking the matter through the formal complaints process and, if necessary, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) for independent review. Virgin Money's own complaints process confirms that unresolved disputes can be escalated to AFCA.
My advice: do your homework, read the PDS carefully, compare the actual coverage—not just the premium—and don't assume that “comprehensive” automatically means the level of protection you expect.
Based on my experience, I would not recommend Virgin Money Car Insurance / Auto & General.
If i could give 0 stars i would. Complicated process and long long wait to resolve a simple claim. Put me through different representatives one after another all saying different things. Even after complaint / claim has been approved i am still waiting a very long time on funds. Giving me alot of stress mentally and physically Show details
Hi Selvy. I'm sorry to read you've not… Read more
Reviews with attachments
Misleading Insurance company – Auto and General insurance is a misleading company needs to be investigated by Insurance Australia and The Hon Bill Shorten MP and Hon. Victor Dominello The company provides its insurance services for a number of brands including, but not limited to: Budget Direct.,1st for Women.,Ozicare.,Australia Post.,Virgin Money.,ING.,Catch… Read more
Insurance.,ComparetheMarket. and many more.
Move your insurance to another company whose underwriter isn't auto & general
When a claim is lodged its handled by A&G and all these companies doesn't handle claims but is just advertising with different names and misleading to public, these companies don't even hold phone numbers for claims or response.
I had a comprehensive insurance for first 3 years with Budget direct and continued in the 4th year with Ozicare which both are under Auto and general the car was Bentley ( Paid more than $12K premium and paid $2K excess at start of claim which is still held by A&G) which had damage from hail on 14/10/21 in Sydney, a claim was filed with smash repairer for the water leak and damage, the claim was for $55K being a Bentley, the assessor appointed by A&G claimed the water leak was pre existing which was total lie and when confronted was asked for forensic investigation car was taken to the yard and done some crap tests without any independent witness or video and with a pic of a vial claims the water has fluoride and is tap water this water sample was collected after 7 days while the floor had completely dried due to the December heat in Sydney, from the second water damage due to rain as the flooding happened in excess of 3 inches on the floor due to the damage on the roof, the investigation claims the sunroof was blocked which is lie coz only pic of duct was presented and no actual video or presence of smash repairer or owner of the car. took the matter to ombudsman and the entire time was taken over 1 year and all the ombudsman decided in favor of insurance by a single person without having a independent assessor appointed which was requested, the investigation and assessment was done by people who are on the A&G payroll, now the matter is with my lawyer taking to NCAT In the past for my house claim in 2013 A&G had gone to the length of forging my signature and stating I have accepted a settlement from $160K claim to $25K when confronted at ombudsman they accepted it but blamed the cleaners, good question why didn't the A&G got penalized for lying by the ombudsman AFCA or ministers.
On a daily basis the citizens of this country go through dilemma and heartache by the insurance companies and lengthy delays created by them, which needs to be investigated, I hereby organizing a petition for class action and investigation by the minister responsible for it and need people to write to their local member about insurance delays and issues and a private members bill need to be raised in the parliament.
Bad business ethics!!!! Dont trust them with my money I originally had insurance with this company. I sold the car and moved on and cancelled my insurance. The company keept my details on file turned on the pocily automatically. I didnt realise after 2 months of direct debits came out. Call centre is in South Africa frustrated with the… Read more
borken English. Wasted 2hrs of my Friday afternoon.
Money taken from my account $107 Moeny they proposed to refund $65.70
Cancelation fee of $41.58 for a policy which never agreed upon.
This had ocured twice. Wasting time and bad customer service.
I have a home insurance with them. I am leaving.
Hi Kumail. Thank you for bringing this… Read more
The Reality Behind the Promises: Auto & General advertises “high performance with high integrity,” but my experience has been the exact opposite. After a no-fault accident in September 2024, my comprehensive car insurance claim remains a case study in delay tactics, poor communication, and disregard for customer rights. Endless Delays &… Read more
Stalling: My claim has dragged on for ten months, with the Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) team repeatedly stalling and failing to provide clear updates.
Secret Vehicle Relocation: My car was moved without my knowledge, and its location withheld for four months—making it impossible to get an independent assessment. Stored in a salvage yard and transported by forklift, it's condition deteriorated even further (see photos).
Inflated Repair Costs: The assigned repairer took four weeks to produce a grossly inflated quote, listing only OEM parts. When I provided a detailed price comparison showing parts could be sourced for 50% less, A&G dismissed my evidence because I’m “not a panel beater.”
Refusal of Second Opinion: All requests for an independent assessment have been denied, I have beeen blocked from accessing my own vehicle and told it belongs to them.
Unjustified Write-Off: The combination of inflated repair costs and undervaluing my rare edition led to my car being written off unnecessarily, contradicting A&G’s own claims about “extending vehicle life.”
Low-Ball Settlement Offer: Only this week have A&G increased the PAMV to match their independent valuation recorded on file back in November 2024, after months of maintaining a lower figure.
Hire Car Cancelled Without Notice: My hire car entitlement was cancelled in March with no warning, communication, settlement, breaching their PDS, and while the matter sits with AFCA.
Dismissed Evidence & Poor Communication: My detailed submissions and supporting documents have been ignored or dismissed, and communication has been consistently slow and unhelpful.
Stakeholder Prioritisation Over Customers: When questioned, the IDR team justified their actions by citing “obligations to stakeholders”—not to paying customers.
Why This Matters: If you value transparency, fairness, and your rights as a customer, think twice before choosing Auto & General. My experience shows a company more interested in protecting its bottom line than delivering on its promises or treating customers with respect.
I hope this review helps others make an informed decision and prompts A&G’s management to finally address these ongoing issues.
Mean insurance company – Do not use Budget direct for home and contents insurance. Submitted a claim 4 weeks ago. They made me pay my excess instantly, the day of the event / damage, stating they will not accept my claim if I don’t pay the excess first which was $1000. My roof, ceiling and floor damaged from wind picking up roof tiles and blowing them everywhere. I have… Read more
had to call weekly to try to get updates. Every time I called, I was told it would be escalated. I was advised it was approved 2 weeks ago however never received anything official documentation including the scope of works. The assessor from White Wolf Construction that attended, told the insurance company that the roof tiles could not have damaged the floor. (How could roof tiles flying through a ceiling smashing on floor boards, breaking up on impact, not damage a floor?) Assessor from White Wolf Construction also did not get on the roof to inspect damage that by that point SES had covered with a tarp. They use a drone and the drone cannot see under the broken tiles sitting on the roof and pergola nor can it see through a tarp, he also did not checks to ensure the ducted air conditioner was not damaged. I called again today to ask for an update. The man I spoke to was extremely rude and intimidating, would not provide me any information rather stated very rudely that they are reviewing the claim and there are questions I need to answer. He did not provide any context around these ‘questions’ but mentioned it multiple times in a manner that was belittling. 4 weeks now with a tarp covering a large hole on the roof. They took my money and have done nothing.
GASLIGHTING & Dishonest – Currently at the ombudsman AFCA and in the final stages of their ruling. I have had BUDGET DIRECT who is AKA AUTO AND GENERAL INSURANCE take over 2 years to return my car and when they did it came with new issues they deemed as wear and tear with a $10k cost to fix. Also whilst in their possession they; lost my car for a period of time, fabricate… Read more
documents and then present them as fact, my car sustained damage by that look as tho it was in another 1-2 accidents, re create scenes of incidents and remove the meta data and tell me it was from a date prior, give me my car back without badges, with 4 tires almost bald that are not mine and more!! NEVER go anywhere near anything that has Auto and General involved. FYI they underwrite many products such as Budget insurance, Qantas & +
Latest follow-ups
6 months ago, I was involved in a not-my-fault head on crash. This is when I learned my insurer - Coles Insurance - is underwritten by Auto &… Read more
General Insurance. My Hilux was assessed after a month by a guy in South Africa and was deemed repairable although the chief mechanic admits it has chassis damage. Then they made a mistake in ordering parts, then they misjudged the extent of the damage and has to order more parts. Long story short, I still do not have possession of my car. I filed a complaint to Auto & General Insurance for unreasonable delay and they rejected my complaint stating they have the right according to the PDS for delay due to ordering parts. Now I am filing a case at AFCA, hopefully it will get resolved. Meanwhile I am still paying them my monthly insurance, not to mention my rego and loan and 6 months on, I still do not hacve possession of my work vehicle.
Follow-up · As of the date of this statement, my vehicle has still not been fully repaired. While a hire car was provided, it was only made available for two weeks. This has caused significant inconvenience and potential loss of income, as I work as a subcontractor for an engineering firm and am occasionally required to attend site inspections. … Read more
Follow-up · 10 months on, they are still sourcing out parts for my Toyota Hilux. I wonder if my Hilux will be ready by Christmas?
Thank you for taking the time to provide… Read more
I was involved in a not-at-fault multi-vehicle accident on 4 August 2025 while driving my Toyota Camry Hybrid. The at-fault driver was insured by Auto & General (Coles Insurance). Auto & General accepted the claim and deemed the vehicle a total… Read more
loss, but they paid the entire settlement and rental compensation directly to the registered owner. They did this without verifying my beneficial interest in the vehicle, even though I had informed them multiple times that I was the primary user under a rent-to-own agreement and had paid $36,000 towards it (plus all running costs including comprehensive insurance with Oceania, registration, and maintenance). After the initial settlement, they completely stopped responding to my follow-up emails. Advice from Oceania (underwritten by Auto & General) was also conflicting — they told me no separate claim was needed and that Swift Recovery represented me, but Swift confirmed they only acted for the registered owner. I escalated to AFCA, but the complaint was closed on jurisdictional grounds because my vehicle had comprehensive cover. The insurer eventually offered only a $100 ex-gratia payment. The lack of communication, failure to consider my documented interest, and overall handling left me significantly out of pocket with no resolution. I would not recommend Auto & General for anyone who expects fair and timely claims service.
Follow-up · They didn’t even contact me to resolve this issue, which made the whole experience more frustrating. I expected better communication and support throughout the process. Overall, the lack of communication and assistance was very disappointing.
Thank you for providing further… Read more
I had a car insurance policy with Auto and General Car Insurance through Qantas, which I prepaid for the full year. I made changes to the policy after three months which were to start in 7 days time. They billed me immediately and then when the… Read more
payment did not go through kept sending me text messages to say they would terminate the policy if I did not pay immediately. They already had 9 months prepaid. I rang to cancel the policy (something they were threatening me with) and then told me it could not be cancelled until the changes took effect in another four days time, and would not cancel it. I will be lodging a complaint with the Ombudsman. It appears that Auto & General Car Insurance is Budget Direct. I had car insurance with them and they wouldn't process my no fault claim for a total write off (the other driver drove through a red light and admitted it to the police who attended) and I had to get the Ombudsman involved. They changed their tune when that happened. If I knew this was the same outfit I would never have insured my car with them.
Follow-up · Budget Direct failed to pay for hire car. Fortunately the tow driver also had connections with a hire car company and accepted the other driver drove through a red light, consulted with the police and gave me a hire car agreement which they collected from BUDGET DIRECT . Hire car was for three months. Budget Direct refused to approve hire car… Read more
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Positive reviews
This company is human. I loved that they helped with compassion and understanding by waving any fees. That’s just not done any more. I just wanted to say thank you for listening and being compassionate Suzanne. Show details · 1
Just had a few policy changes for my car insurance. No issues at all. Great phone service today 13/5/25. Duplicate car insurance policy cancelled easily. No complaints at all. Thanks to the female rep that took my call & deleted the duplicate. Great service Show details · 1
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Positive experience – I can see that my experience was totally different to others. Had a not at fault accident. Submitted claim and got approved for repairs online, booked a drop off day at theirs assessment Centre. Dropped off car, got a phone call next day that car will be towed to a different repair Centre. New Centre contacted me with ETA for repairs, hire car got… Read more
organised and extended with no issues. Repairs delayed due to new parts needed for repair, panels painted and paint blended perfectly. 2 months total. Can’t say anything bad re customer care service or quality of repairs. A few things got sorted via text messages instead of holding the line.
Negative reviews
Dealing with AGD with a not at fault claim. Tried to undercut me, repairs were 11k and they tried to pay out 8k. They refuse to pay the smash repairers directly as well. My hire car company is now taking them to court as they are refusing to pay the bill. Nightmare to deal with Show details
Hi Anna. Thank you for taking the time… Read more
Terrible. My experience with Auto & General has been one of the most frustrating customer service experiences I have ever dealt with. I lodged a hail damage claim in October 2025. It is now 8 months later and my vehicle is still not repaired. Throughout the process I have been given multiple expected repair dates, parts arrival dates and… Read more
assurances, only for those dates to repeatedly change with little notice and no meaningful certainty.
In March they waited for me to drive to their repair shop, after booking off work, had made other plans for someone to pick me up. They tell me on arrival that they dont have all the parts.
Communication has been extremely poor. I have spent countless hours chasing updates, requesting answers and following up on promises that were never fulfilled. Every time it seemed there was finally progress, another delay appeared.
The lack of accountability has been the most disappointing part. Instead of proactive communication, I have had to continually chase information myself. Requests for information and records have gone unanswered for extended periods, and escalation through the complaints process has not resulted in any meaningful improvement.
What should have been a straightforward motor insurance claim has turned into a months-long ordeal that has caused significant inconvenience, stress and disruption to both myself and my family.
Looking at the broader industry, claim handling delays have become one of the most common complaints received by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), with motor insurance complaints increasingly driven by repair and communication delays.
Based on my experience, I would not recommend Auto & General. The ongoing delays, poor communication and lack of certainty throughout this claim have completely eroded my confidence in the company.
We sincerely apologise for any… Read more
Advise caution when considering Auto insurance with Ozicare from my standpoint I have found making a claim to be a highly unpleasant & time consuming experience.I have just read a review on the repairer we have been sent to which is very concerning. Show details
Hello Ray. Thank you for taking the time… Read more
Recent reviews
Update 21/08/2026 I have updated this review to be 3 stars as through the internal complaints process, we have reached an amical agreement (I was not asked to or compensated in any way to change this review). While I am still a bit annoyed at the whole process in the end Auto and General did offer a fair resolution. Original Review In June… Read more
2026, I was involved in a fairly minor traffic incident where the other party failed to give way when changing lanes and clipped the front bumper of my vehicle.
Long story short the third party’s behaviour after the crash left me fearing for my own safety and rather then getting out of the car I called 000 to request police before I would engage the other driver who had pulled over as mentioned I feared for my own safety. However while on the phone to 000 the other driver fled the scene.
I did manage to get a clear photo of both the driver and the vehicle being driven.
I then proceeded to lodge the police report, insurance claim and pay my excess as part of the normal process.
Budget direct (Auto and General Insurance) did arrange for my car to be repaired.
However the issues started to come when the other party just stuck their head in the sand and did not respond to Budget Directs attempts at communication. Instead of then proceeding to escalate this claim to civil / small claims court as I would reasonably expect them to, simply because of the tens of thousands of dollars I have paid them over the years, budget direct (Auto and General Insurance) just took my excess and closed my claim.
This is just woefully lazy and completely unfair.
Hi Daniel. I appreciate you posting this… Read more (+1 reply)
Auto General underwrite Coles Insurance. I had insurance through 2025 - 2026. There was an accident last September, they stated I had to pay an excess, which I did, even though I argued it was not my fault. It was the only way to get my car fixed, which only was a scrape. Both cars were fixed by November. Apparently Coles Insurance has not paid… Read more
for the other car I have found out in the last few months.
I had made several reviews about Coles Insurance and none of them were completed to my satisfaction by Coles and they state through this website that the issue will be sorted but that is a lie. Product Review do their best to help and mediate but Coles Insurance would be the worst company I have ever dealt with.
I have now started to receive threats by the other cars insurer AAMI and their ARMI (debt collectors). Don't know how they got my private email address or private mobile. I forward these on to Coles Insurance, at their 3 different email addresses, you would think someone would reply. I respond to AAMI debt collectors branch and tell them to leave me alone (not my exact words) and to contact Coles as that is what I pay Insurance for.
If it is not resolved soon, I will be contacting the Australian Financial Ombudsman I have warned AAMI and Coles.
Hello Debbie. Thank you for posting this… Read more
They have falsely blamed me for the accident claim my husband had lodged ! Most unprofessional organisation! So called senior manager [Name Removed] telfer doesn’t know what he writes in the email shows the way claim and decision would have been handled will be going to AFCA and taking legal action as they also bought up another unrelated incident… Read more
of my accident for a car that was not even registered with them and then falsely accused me of the accident when my husband was driving the car ! Stay away from these white collar criminals
Hi Ritz, thank you for taking the time… Read more (+3 replies)
Was on the phone to one of your representatives for 37 minutes. During this time he left for 5-7 minutes twice to find out where our vehicle was they took to assess from my panel beater. In 5 months we have had no feedback as to where the car is or where the claim is up to. I called to discuss and the guy on the other end couldn’t give me an… Read more
answer so said he would call back in 1 hour. I called and woke my son at 6am in South Africa to do a conference call with the guy, but 5 hours later, still no call back (He was also located in South Africa and the current time there is now only 11.50am). Absolutely disgusting customer service
Hello. Thankyou for taking time to leave… Read more
so i don’t even know what to say scum is to nice for them please don’t waste your time The fact I have to even put a star even disgust me you should have nothing Show details
Hi Mel. Thankyou for taking the time to… Read more
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Auto & General (underwriter for Budget Direct) handled my repair claim poorly. My car came back from their authorised repairer with a faulty head unit. I reported it right away. An independent diagnostic confirmed an “AUDIO CAN timeout” fault, commonly caused by battery disconnection or voltage issues during repair work. Despite clear timing and… Read more
evidence, Auto & General dismissed it as “not accident-related” and refused help. I’ve had no working radio since September. Extremely disappointed with how this was handled.
Hi Igor, we sincerely apologise for any… Read more (+1 reply)
BEWARE!!! I want to put negative 1000 stars. Budget Direct and Auto General are the most incompetant company out. My initial claim was rejected which was fine, but the 2 MONTHS that my car was in their care my car was damaged by them. My hand… Read more
break was literally dismantled among other things. They do not call back, the managers don't want to speak with me and it has now been almost 5 months. Do not waste your money with these morons!!
Follow-up · It is now almost December and my car is still with the mechanic. My initial claim was for car theft. The theives didn't damage the car. They went for a ride and we found the car in the bush across the road from my house. When my car was returned about 2 months later, I discovered the windshield had a large crack, the cover for the emergency… Read more
Hello Kristina. Thank you for posting… Read more
Had car insurance worst comp ever to deal with i gave 1 star to many trying to contact them is mission impossible you make a complaint .then they contact you talk to you for just a few secs then just leave u on the phn. No explanation nothing i wasn't rude derogatory or anything warning don't deal with them they maybe cheaper but the worst if u want cheaper go with everyday rewards very helpful great to deal with Show details
Good morning David. Thank you for taking… Read more
It has now been over two months since my car was written off, and I am **still waiting for a final outcome** from Auto & General. The experience has been extremely frustrating. Each time I call for an update, I am kept on hold for 45–55 minutes, only to be transferred between different staff members. Today, I spoke to three different people, each… Read more
one handballed me to another department — and the last person even **hung up the phone**.
This level of service is completely unacceptable. I expected much better communication and professionalism from a company like Auto & General. After paying my premiums for years, this poor treatment has been disappointing and stressful.
* Claim lodged over 2 months ago * Vehicle written off and awaiting outcome * Poor customer service and extremely long wait times * Lack of accountability between staff
I urge Auto & General to **resolve this matter promptly** and provide a proper explanation for the ongoing delay.
Thank you for taking the time to provide… Read more
rip off company, charge for auto renewal policy when I was overseas and not able to phone or email. No customer focus just stalling to respond, I hate to think how people go if they have to make a claim, it took a month to say no to what should have been a refund, they must really need the money Show details
Good afternoon. We appreciate you… Read more
Was involved in a not at fault car accident in which the vehicle was repaired by one of their preferred smash repairers. They did a terrible job laden with defects and took them 2.5 months to “fix”. The van is back at a new smash repairer now with will be another 3 months off the road. They have offered me cents to the dollar to help resolve my… Read more
formal complaint to them in which they withdraw when I told them I deserved more. The most useless car insurance company I’ve ever experienced. Would not use them ever again
Harassed by this company. Error after error. It wasn’t even my insurer. Their client was the third car in a sequence of 3. I was the second car, also not at fault. A & G claims department continued to harass me even after they had contact with and claim numbers from my insurer: they knew I was not at fault. They were so inept that their repeated… Read more
correspondence had all the names and cars mixed up…couldn’t even get that right, despite giving them several corrections. Today was contact #5 from them, wanting more details and it’s the third or fourth time I have again directed them back to my insurer. My car has been repaired by my insurer without any fuss. Thank goodness I am not insured with A & G. I hope their client has managed that too. What a shambles.
We sincerely apologise for any… Read more
Avoid at all cost. We tried to make a claim on our contents policy after being broken into, They made it so hard in the claim process and wanted over the top proof that it was impossible to get an out come. Also we had 2 policies due for renewal that firstly they had put an automatic renewal on without permission, but wait they had doubled the premium on both policies from last year? Show details
Hi Anthony, I am sorry to hear that you… Read more
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Hi Niro. Thank you for taking the time… Read more